Afraid of making a yeast bread? Fear no more. This recipe is so easy and delicious!! And it’s 100% whole wheat. I've always been intimidated by the thought of making a yeast bread. All the kneading, rolling, punching, kicking :-).

With this recipe, there is no need to knead! I just used a handheld mixer with a paddle attachment and it worked out perfectly. Make some today for your breakfast or afternoon snack. It’s wonderfully moist and not too sweet. The mixture of seeds and grains on top of the loaf, along with the turbinado sugar, give the crust an irresistible crunch. You might want to consider making two loaves. This one quickly disappeared.

Whole Wheat Fruit and Nut Bread

Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon organic evaporated cane sugar

1/4 cup warm water, (110 to 115 F)

3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon natural brown sugar

3 tablespoons honey

3/4 cup warm milk, 2% (110 to 115 F)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

1/2 cup cranberries

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup dates, chopped (about 9)

1 egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water

About a tablespoon of each of the following to sprinkle on top of the bread before baking:

Place bowl with dough in cold oven and cover bowl with kitchen towel. On a shelf below the dough, place a pan with hot water. Let rest 10 minutes inside oven.

Remove dough from oven and roll into 12x8 rectangle on cutting board, then roll up tightly into jelly roll, beginning on short end of dough. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place seam side down in greased loaf pan and back in oven to rise for about 2 hours until double in size. Make sure to add fresh hot water to the pan in the oven.

Once dough has risen, remove dough from oven along with the pan containing hot water. Turn oven on to 350 F. Brush top of dough with egg white mixture. Sprinkle with flaxseeds, millet, quinoa, sesame seeds, rolled oats, and pumpkin seeds. Brush on a little more egg white mixture so the oats will stick to top of bread. Sprinkle turbinado sugar all over the top.

Bake bread for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden. Remove bread from pan and cool on wire rack. Optional, brush top with melted butter. Make sure to cool bread completely before slicing!! Waiting will be difficult, but the bread continues to cook within the crust as it cools so… WAIT.